The Artek Art Studio offers a unique opportunity to develop one’s creative skills in a highly popular and trend-setting way. Young artists staying at Artek create real Roman mosaics using natural Crimean materials which are crushed into small pieces at the studio. The mosaics therefore receive rich natural colors. State-of-the art Swiss machine-tools and cutters are used to make modern linocuts; the cutters guarantee greater precision plus make the mosaics look neater and more refined.

Roman mosaics are an ancient art. It is possible to make integral drawings using a chaotic jumble of crushed multi-colored stones. Although the labor-consuming Roman mosaic technique is quite costly, these virtually eternal masterpieces last for ages, rather than decades. Linocuts are, in fact, linoleum pictures made using a modern but no less interesting method. Linocuts are perceived as an independent aspect of graphic art and as a method for making illustrations and posters. They are also popular with various designers.

Despite their topicality, far from every art school in sprawling cities, not to mention small schools, run courses on Roman mosaics and linocuts. Therefore the Artek Art Studio’s students are interested in using this unique chance and trying their hand at this trendy art.

Karina Loseva from the Chukotka Autonomous Area, now staying at Lesnoi Camp, is dreaming of becoming a designer and is working hard on her first engraving. “I have never made a linocut before because our art school did not offer this subject. These engravings are so light and beautiful. One can wash these long-lasting pictures several times, and they will never lose their properties,” she noted.

Alina Tsakhvrebova from South Ossetia, also staying at Artek, did not miss this chance after completing her first trial masterpiece, and she decided to make a gift to her squad’s leaders. “I want this mosaic to tell everyone how much I love my No. 19 Squad from Lazurny Camp. I want to thank our team leaders. Thank you, Artek. I hope that my confession will remain here for many years to come,” she said.

After completing her mosaic, Vika Andreyeva from Bashkortostan wants to take it home. “I want to keep this mosaic as a memento recalling all the wonderful moments I have experienced here, and I want to take this piece of Artek with me,” she noted.

Vladislav Chervyakov, an educator with the Artek Art Studio, says creative work helps children develop their fine motor skills, precision and diligence. “You learn to be patient and determined. This work is hard, painstaking but interesting,” he added.

His colleague, Ilya Solovyov, added that creative work helps develop one’s imagination and makes children feel confident in their potential. “Young artists learn how to invent things, how to translate his or her ideas into life, how to search for creative solutions and not to give up.”

Artek has been running a course in linocuts and Roman mosaics for two years. A catalogue with the best masterpieces of the Art Studio’s pupils is now being prepared for printing.